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r<)unlyaiul local agricultural societies were foruicd in Coiuicclicut early in the last 

 century. The desire for additional knowledge which these encouraged led to the estab- 

 lishment of the State agricultural society in 1852 and to the organization of the State 

 board of agriculture in 18('6. The first sec-retary of the old State agricultural society, 

 Henry A. Dyer, who was secretary until his death in 1850. and later T. S. Gold, who 

 was associated with Mr. Dyer, afterwards was secretary for thin y-niiie years, did much 

 to encourage a desire for more knowledge in agriculture, and laid the foundation of the 

 modern farmers' institute system as it is in operation in Connecticut to-day. 



The State board, among its other duties, held each year a three-day meeting for 

 lectures and discussions and numerous one-day meetings whenever and wherever 

 circumstances demanded it. 



The three-day meetings usually had one ceiural topic al)out which minor ones clus- 

 tered, l)Ut of kindred character, such as dairying, fruit culture, good roads, etc. A 

 gentleman who was somewhat skeptical as to the value of the three-day meetings, after 

 visiting a meeting of this character, exprest himself as satisfied, since what he had 

 s(>en had convinced him "that it took about three days for the farmers to get red-hot in 

 discussing any question." 



The single-day meetings were held to carry a subject to the rural districts for the 

 information of all classes, some of whom might not come to the large meeting, and yet 

 would be glad of the opportunity to spend a day or an evening at a meeting near their 

 homes, particularly when some new or striking improvement in agriculture was before 

 the people for discussion. 



The history of the farmers' institute movement in Connecticut would be incomplete 

 if a notal)le meeting held at New Haven in 1860, under the auspices of Yale Univer- 

 sity, w^ere omitted. This meeting marked an era in agricultural education. Dr. John 

 A. Porter, professor of organic chemistry in the Shefiield Scientific School at Yale, 

 with other members of the faculty, planned for a four-weeks' convention at New Haven 

 for lectures and discussions on matters pertaining to agriculture. This was under the 

 patronage of the Sheffield Scientific School, then in its infancy. 



Three sessions were held daily for four weeks, beginning February I, and three to 

 five lectures wera delivered each day. The subjects were classified under four heads, 

 and a week was given to the consideration of each. The first week was given to agri- 

 cultural chemistry, the second to pomology, the third to agriculture proper, and the 

 fourth to domestic animals. There were 26 speakers on the program, most of whom 

 gave two or more lectures. The lecturers were drawn from Yale University and 

 from all over the Union — practical and scientific men. Among the young men were 

 Professors S. W. Johnson, W. H. Brewer, Benjamin Silliman. jr., and T. S. Gold. 

 The great strength of the meeting was in the presence of a number of successful, prac- 

 tical men of national reputation, such as Marshall P. Wilder, of Boston; John Stanton 

 Gould, of Hudson, N. Y.; Cassius M. Clay, of Kentucky, and others of equal celebrity 

 and reputation. 



The New York Tribune sent its representative, Mr. Henry S. Olcott, and published 

 a daily report. The notes were collected and printed in a small volume entitled 

 ''Outlines of the First Course of Yale Agricultural Lectures." In this report occurs 

 this comment on the lecture on Sheep Husbandry. 



A certain shepherd lecturer at a farm school in Saxony illustrates his lectures on 

 breeding by presenting before his class sheep of various breeds and diverse qualities. 

 So far as my information extends it has never been attempted in this country before 

 to-day, when T. S. Gold placed on the stage a Cotswold, a Merino, and a Southdown. 

 * * * It is a new and a most capital idea, and hereafter he who will lecture on 

 sheep without the living illustrations ready for reference will be behind the age. 



The success of this course both in speakers and attendance was such as to warrant 

 permanence in an annual form, but the breaking out of the civil war and the early 

 death of Professor Porter prevented even a single repetition. 



